Holiday Curacao: The Ultimate Guide

1. The center of Curacao

The colourfulness of the trading quay can be found all over the island and certainly also in the bustling city centre. In 1997 it was placed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO. Curacao has only one city geographically and that is Willemstad. Furthermore, the island is divided into different neighborhoods. Willemstad is roughly divided into Punda and Otra Bonda. The name Punda comes from 'point'. Otra Banda literally means 'other side'.

Pietermaai is the suburb of the capital. In both parts of the centre you can indulge yourself in all kinds of colourful shops, cosy bars, tasty restaurants and swinging clubs.

2. Going out in Curacao and Happy Hours

Pasa Bon with you somewhere, you will immediately have an overview of most happy hours. The days of the week are fairly fixed on the island. Make sure you're in the right place on the right day! A remarkable concept on the island are the common 'sneks'. Locals come here to get a cheap beer, play dominoes and talk the day through. Often equipped with bars and run by Chinese workers. Feel free to join in and order a Polar or Bright!

3. Visiting beaches during your holiday on Curacao

The beautiful beaches of Curaçao can be roughly divided into the East and West of the island. The east side is called Banda Ariba (high side) and the west side Banda Abou (low side). Geographically this is not entirely true, as the west side is much more mountainous.

3.1 Banda Ariba

On this side of the island you will find several paid beaches, as there are also several resorts. Here the beach of Jan Thiel is very well known. Certainly also for the aforementioned happy hours. On this beach are the clubs Zanzibar, Tinto, Zest, Papagayo and Kokos. For these beaches you pay access and the use of a lounger.

3.2. Caracas Bay

3.3. Tugboat Beach

For a piece of typical Curacao paradise you have to drive from Caracas Bay towards the pier. Here you will find a modest cabin on Tugboat Beach where you can score some soda, beer and a snack (crisps/pastries). Feel free to bring your own cool box, but give a small contribution so the owner can keep the beach tidy.

3.4. Mambo Beach

The former 'Mambo Beach' has since a number of years been converted into a real boulevard with cozy shops, bars and eateries. The sandy beach on this promenade houses four beach bars that also rent out beds. From left to right you will find Chill Beach, Bonita Beach, Madero Ocean Club (former Mambo) and Wet & Wild Beach Club (now van der Valk).

Chill Beach

3.5. Sea Aquarium Beach, Hemingway and Lions Dive Beach Resort

On the same side of Mambo Beach Boulevard there are several beaches that belong to resorts, but where you are allowed to go. From left to right you walk over Sea Aquarium Beach, Hemingway and Lions Dive Beach Resort. Here you will also find fine dining restaurants and exuberant cocktail bars.

3.6. Cabana Beach

When you walk along Mambo Beach Boulevard in your back from Wet&Wild, you reach the more luxurious Cabana Beach. Here you can enjoy culinary delights and cool cocktails on large 'cabana beds'. On wednesday night you should be here for the cabana night out.

3.7. Mood Beach

Besides Cabana lies the lush Mood Beach. In terms of luxury (and prices) this beach club goes a step further than its neighbors. You can also enjoy here on comfortable sunbeds and enjoy culinary delights.

3.8. Santa Barbara Beach Resort

More towards the east you come to Santa Barbara Beach Resort. A former plantation that has been converted into a luxurious golf resort. You can come here by car when you pay the entrance fee of $20 pp. However, you can also come from the waterfront, if you have rented a boat or if you can sail with people.

3.9 Round trip Westpunt

A holiday on Curacao is not complete without having been around the west side of the island once (with its own cool box). Here you will find many public beaches and parks where you can admire the beautiful nature of the country. These are usually not paid beaches and not cleaned up by staff. Leave it neatly behind!

3.10. Playa Forti

Playa Forti is known for its 10 meter high cliff where people jump in from the sea. Nice for the picture, but it is not recommended as there are already several unhappy ended up ... You can also eat in the restaurant or relax on the beach.

3.11. Large Cut

Big Cut

3.12. Small Cut

Not far from her big sister lies the somewhat more hidden Kleine Knip (Kenepa Chiki). This bay is plenty of shade and is also equipped with sunbeds. This beach is often less crowded than Grote Knip.

3.13. Playa Lagun

Nestled between two beautiful cliffs lies the picturesque bay Playa Lagun. There are sunbeds, umbrellas and two palapas. You can also Discover Lagun good local food or at the tourist Bahia Apartments which is located at the top of one of the cliffs with stunning views.

3.14. Cas Abou

Cas Abou is known as one of the most beautiful bays on the island. The road to it is certainly bumpy and you have to pay NAF 12 by car. You will find a nice snack bar and there is the possibility to enjoy a massage.

Cas Abou

3.15. Daaibooi

The public beach of Daaibooi is very popular among the locals. It is possible to barbecue here with your own stuff or you can get something at the small snack bar. Also here you can rent beds and find shade under one of the several palapas.

3.16. Playa Porto Mari

Playa Porto Mari is a beautiful sandy bay on the private estate of Plantations PortoMari on the west coast. The unique 'double reef' is easily accessible from the coast and offers a fascinating snorkel and dive site. You can also sunbathe there and there is a fine restaurant.

3.17. Blue bay

Blue Bay (Blue Bay) is mainly equipped with a beautiful (golf) resort where both long-term rentals and tourists can be found. It is a wonderful place to stay in a luxurious setting and fully equipped with all modern conveniences.

3.18. Kokomo Beach

A day out with the family? Then Kokomo Beach (Vaersenbaai) is the place to be. Besides the beautiful snorkel spot, small playground and the two large swings in the water, you can also enjoy delicious food under the canopy. Every Sunday there is happy hour and a live band.

4. Diving on Curacao

In the top 5 diving schools on the island are:

• Scuba Lodge Dive Center
• Scubacoa
• The Dive Bus
• Ocean Encounters
• Curious2Dive

At Curious2Dive it is also possible to make a dive as a disabled person.

5. Snorkeling

For those who do not breathe underwater or for those who prefer to do with less equipment, snorkeling is the ideal solution. Also at the water surface you can admire the beautiful underwater world. Don't forget to go snorkeling: Playa Grandi and Playa Piskado (100% sure turtles), Tugboat Beach, Lagun and Caracas Bay (on the side of Golden Seahorse)

6. Substation Curacao

Welcome to admire the underwater world, but don't get wet? Do you even want to know what it looks like up to 320 m (!) deep? Aren't you claustrophobic? Then the mini submarine of Substation Curacao is the experience for you!

7. Boating on Curacao

You like sailing, but don't you have to be at sea too long? Book a boat trip on the Spanish Water and sail on to Fuikbaai. There is often a barbecue on board and sometimes even just caught fish are thrown on the grill! Whether you want to sail with a group or privately, you can book nice boat trips with these organizations:

• Rasta Tours
• Calypso Trips
• Blue C Watersports
• Blue Finn Charters

8. Rent a car on Curacao

Do you want to discover the island in a more adventurous way than from your rental car? Then go off road with a buggy tour, tear around on a quat or go on a jeep safari! Take a look at Eric's ATV Adventuress and Buggy Tours.

9. Visit the Christopher's Park

The Christoffelpark is a beautiful collection of Curacao's flora, fauna, history and culture is located on the northwest side of the island. You can explore the park yourself or book an excursion. It is recommended to go here a little earlier in the day.

Are you adventurous? Do you want to reach the highest point of the Dutch kingdom? Do you get out of bed easily at 5:30 am? Then climbing the Christopher Mountain is definitely something for you! You can do this on your own or with an excursion. Bring enough water and sunburn with you. Who is interested in the history of Curacao should definitely visit the Savonet museum, located in the Christoffelpark. With extensive information about the former inhabitants of the area. Starting with the first Arowak Indians who came to the island almost 4000 years ago to modern history.

10. A walk through Shete Boka National Park

The national park Shete Boka borders on the Chritoffel park and is a beautiful natural area. It covers more than 10 kilometres of the northern coast of the island with rocky waves and has about 10 pocket bays of which 3 species of sea turtles are known to lay eggs. The park starts at the beautiful Boka Tabla, where huge waves hit an underground cave. Here you can walk to the mouth of the cave via steps carved into the rock. There are also 2 footpaths in the park.

• Boka Pistol route: including a 1 hour walk through Boka Kalki where sometimes sea turtles lay their eggs. Boka-pistol, where huge waves shoot into the air with shots like explosions and a panoramic view from the flat limestone hills.
• Boka Wandomi Trail: a 1-hour walk along rolling lava hills to Boka Wandomi and the limestone cliffs to a natural bridge. A short walk along the rugged north coast brings you back to Boka Tabla.

11. Sailing to Klein Curacao

At about 10 kilometers from Curacao lies a smaller, sun-drenched paradise island. Klein Curaçao does not have many attractions next to its lighthouse and the beach facilities of The Mermaid. However, you can snorkel with turtles and you're actually on a bounty island! To come to Klein Curacao you can rent a boat, but it is advisable to book an excursion with all the conveniences. Providers of a boat trip to Klein Curacao include:

• Mermaid Boattrips
• Breeze
• Blue Finn Charters
• Miss Ann
• Powerboat

12. Visit Hato Caves

The Hato cave can be found on the north side of the island. It is over 300,000 years old and is the largest and most prominent cave on the island. It has been officially open to the public since 1991. It is therefore definitely worthwhile to visit this cave. We recommend to do this with a excursion so that you can enjoy the experience to the fullest. A tour takes about half an hour, after which you can walk even further through the park.

13. Rent a car on Curacao

As well as the more active excursions there is also 'hopi' to admire on the island. It is therefore best to rent a car to see as much as possible. We support local car rentals that have to compete with the big companies. For example, you can rent from the family business:

• Verwoerded Car Rental
• Longterm Curacao
• Auto Huren Curacao.

14. Sea Aquarium

The Curaçao Sea Aquarium is one of the most unique aquariums in the world. Due to an open water system all aquariums are in direct contact with the open sea. Everything in the aquarium, from the fish and corals to the sand at the bottom of the exhibition tanks, comes from the seas around the island. This also applies to the lagoons inhabited by dolphins, sea lions, sharks, rays and turtles. The only thing that separates these lagoons from the open ocean are breakwaters built of large boulders and the occasional fence, allowing fresh seawater to flow freely through all the lagoons. During the day there are several presentations and tours through the park such as Aquarium tour, Sea Lion presentation, Nurse Shark feeding presentation, Flamingo feeding, Look underwater and more fun activities.

14.1. Dolphin Academy Curacao

A part of the Sea Aquarium is the Dolphin Academy. Here you can admire various dolphin and sea lion shows. It is also possible to make an encounter, snorkel and even dive with these beautiful animals. The Dolphin Acedamy gives a lot of information about marine life and is known as very animal friendly. Furthermore, you can also admire the dolphins, raised in the Academy, outside their lagoon when they swim by boat along Mambo Beach BLVD and Jan Thiel Beach.

15. Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge

The crossing from Punda to Otra Banda is made with the 'Ferry Bridge'. Also called the 'Swinging Old Lady' because the bridge rests on 16 pontoons. This causes you to wobble lightly back and forth when you walk over it. The bridge has a length of 168 meters and is the only floating wooden swing bridge in the world.

16. Kura Hulanda Museum

When you walk from Punda to Otrabanda with the Ferry Bridge, you can take a look at the Kura Hulanda Museum. This is also known as the 'Slave Museum', but there's more to see than just exhibitions about slavery on the island. A three-hour tour takes you through the entire complex. Kura Hulanda means Dutch garden and is also a hotel, spa and restaurant.

17. Ostrich Farm

Another nice trip is an afternoon to The Ostrich Farm. Situated in a beautiful nature reserve in Santa Catharina on the road to Groot St. Joris. Here you can do a Safari tour where you can also feed the birds. Furthermore, there is an African Night on Friday and you can eat every day in restaurant Zambezi.

18. Aloe Vera Plantation

On the same road from the ostrich farm you will find the Aloë Vera Farm. Ever wondered where all this Aloe comes from in the products on Curacao? Here you can see the large fields full of plants and buy the natural products that are really good for everything!

19. Flamingos spotting

If you want to spot flamingos on Curacao, the chance is greatest at one of the salt pans. For example at the 'salinja' on the road to Bullenbaai, on the road to Kokomo Beach and in Sint Willibrordus. This is where you drive along when you go to Porto Marie or Daaibooi.

20. Book a far trip to Curacao: compare providers and accommodations

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